Dorchet's Story
by SonomaCurtis
Summary: This is basically the history of Dorchet, beginning with his childhood up to when he finally became a chimera enjoy please. Disclaimer: I do not own Dorchet. TT.TT This is just my OPINION on what should have happened. Please review :
1. Chapter 1

"Dorchet!" The deep voice called. The small five-year-old ran over to his father, who scooped him up and put him on his shoulder.

"Hey Dad!" Dorchet laughed. The Ishbalan man smiled at his only child.

"My, you get bigger every time I'm on leave." Soshu Hisoka laughed along with his boy. It had been about a month since the head of the Hisoka home had been on military leave and he had missed his son's fifth birthday. As he looked down into Dorchet's face he realized how much like his mother the boy looked. The only thing that he and Dorchet shared was the redness on their eyes. Everything, even the shape of his head, came from Dorchet's Amestrian ancestors.

"Don't forget stronger, Dad!" Dorchet added, pulling his sleeve up to show his small arms. Soshu grinned and turned toward the house with his son in his arms.

"Of course, and stronger too." Dorchet's mother, Katherine, now stepped out of the house doors and put her hands on her hips.

"I swear, if I didn't love you so much, Soshu Hisoka, I'd skin you right here and now! Gettin' your clothes all torn and dirty." But despite her shrewd words, Katherine Hisoka couldn't keep from smiling. The sight of her beloved men overwhelmed her with a strange warm feeling.

Dorchet and Soshu looked at each other, each knowing that Mrs. Hisoka was really not as angry as she sounded. Soshu walked inside his small home and set his son on the floor, then went to go wash up. Once he was done shaving and showering he came back out to the kitchen, where the table was already set. His wife and son were seated, waiting for him. But as soon as he took a step toward them, a cry came from outside.

"Soshu! Soshu!" Soshu ran to the window, where he saw an injured Ishbalan come riding up on a horse. Quickly he opened the door and ran out to meet the fellow of his ethnicity.

"Yes, what is it?" He asked.

"Th-the Amestrians...war." And with that the Ishbalan collapsed and fell off of his horse. Only now did Soshu recognize his neighbor, Mr. Granfed. Soshu grabbed the reigns of his neighbor's horse and jumped into the saddle. He yelled to his wife, who was waiting in the doorway, Dorchet in her arms.

"Get away, Katherine! Flee to Amestris!" And then he was gone in a cloud of dust.


	2. Chapter 2

Without hesitation Katherine grabbed her coat and took Dorchet in her arms. She locked the door to her house and went around back to get her family's horse. Katherine didn't even wait to put the saddle on; she just placed Dorchet up the mare's bare back then climbed on behind him.

_Soshu, please, don't get killed._ She thought as she rode away from the small Ishbalan village. Dorchet looked back at his home and, though he was very young, understood that he would not be coming back and that his father was gone for good.

For days Katherine remained on trail to the border between Amestris and Ishbal. Finally she came to a small town with a railroad. She waited until she was certain that the train was headed to Amestris and secretly hid among the cars.

For a few days Katherine and her son lived off of the food and such that were in the car with them, but still it worried her that her son was so sallow skinned and thin. Finally the train stopped. The two of them waited until nightfall to risk leaving the train and got away safely. Katherine cradled her young son in her arms as she sat in the shadows of an alley. The place beside her was still under construction, but the notice on the side said that it would be a bar called The Devil's Nest.

In the morning Katherine decided that she had gone far enough north to be in Amestris. She soon found out that the town's name was Dublith and that there was a butcher looking for some help. Over the giant window of the butcher shop, a sign simply read MEAT.

Shrugging, Katherine decided that it was as good a place as any other and went in. Hesitantly she walked into the room and up to the counter. No one seemed to be occupying that position, so she rang the bell. A moment later a child-laden woman came out and smiled.

"Why, hello." She beamed. Dorchet's mouth fell open.

"Hey, Mom. Her husband can sure feed her!" Dorchet said right out. Katherine's face flushed, but instead of indignation, she heard laughter.

"Oh, no. I'm going to have a baby." The woman smiled. Dorchet's eyes grew round as saucers.

"You mean you store your baby in your tummy?"

"Well, I guess so yeah." The woman said. Then she turned to Katherine. "Hello, I'm Izumi Curtis."

"Katherine Hisoka."

Izumi looked back down at Dorchet, who was staring at her.

"What's the matter?" Izumi asked. Dorchet crossed his arms.

"I don't believe you."

"Dorchet, darling." Katherine began, but Izumi waved her hand as if to say, it's alright.

"Would you like to come over here and see?" Izumi asked. Dorchet looked at his mother and looked back at Izumi, then walked around the counter. Izumi gently took his hand in hers and guided it to her extended stomach. Under his hand Dorchet felt a movement.

"What was that?" He asked. Izumi smiled.

"That was either my son or my daughter. I'm having two babies." Dorchet looked up at her and smiled. He had felt another movement; this one harder than the last.

"What are you going to name them?" He asked in wonder. Izumi smiled at him and ruffled his hair.

"Well, the boy's going to be named Ethan and the girl's going to be named Sonoma."

Dorchet ran back to his mother and tugged at her shirt.

"Can we please stay here? I want to see Ethan and Sonoma!" He practically shouted. Katherine looked up at Izumi.

"I did come here looking for a job." She said. Izumi nodded.

"Alright, I'll take you on. You can stay upstairs if you haven't made any other arrangements." Dorchet laughed out of pure joy.

"Oh, Mom, you don't know how much fun this'll be! I'll teach Ethan how to hit a ball with a bat, how to fill water balloons and play battle."

"I'm so sorry, he seems to have made himself at home already." Katherine apologized as her son carried on.

"Oh, I don't mind. I'll need the practice with kids if I'm going to have my own." Then she walked over to the stairs. "I'll show you to your rooms."


	3. Chapter 3

A month after Dorchet and Katherine moved into the Meat Shop, Izumi went into labor. Dorchet and Sig waited downstairs in the front room while a doctor and Katherine attended Izumi.

"Mr. Sig?" Dorchet asked. Sig looked up, surprised. Dorchet had never spoken t him before. In response he grunted. "Is Izumi going to die?" Dorchet asked. Sig saw worry in the eyes of the small boy in front of him. "Is she going to never come back like my father?"

For a few moments Sig stood there. Then he crouched down and ruffled Dorchet's hair.

"Izumi will be fine. I married her because she's strong." He mumbled, hoping that he had said the right things. Dorchet's worry faded away and he smiled up at Sig.

"You're right. Izumi IS strong." He said. Suddenly Katherine came running down the stairs. Sig stood up and Dorchet ran to his mother.

"Alright now, Izumi is fine. Now you go along to bed." Katherine told Dorchet and gave him a push toward the steps.

"But Mom!" He tried to say, but Katherine's expression told him to get going. Once he was gone Katherine turned to Sig.

"I might as well tell you plain out. The birthing wasn't easy and only one of your children made it through. A little girl."

Sig nodded and went to Izumi's room. Katherine looked after the large man and sighed. For a first time father, he had taken it well. Better than Izumi had. Izumi had completely rejected her baby girl, claiming that the infant had stolen her son from her.

In all truth nothing could have been done to save the child. He had gotten his umbilical cord wrapped around his neck and suffocated before he was even fully developed. But Katherine knew that if Izumi hadn't accepted her daughter straight from birth, it wasn't going to happen later. The only thing she could do for the girl was try and act as the mother in Izumi's place.

The years passed and Katherine's prediction proved true. Izumi was shrewd toward her child and whenever she caught Sig indulging the child he would never hear the end of her wrath.

So Sonoma grew under the care of Katherine. She and Dorchet bonded and became fast friends. Sig taught them both to cut meat and taught Dorchet to defend himself using knives. And so Dorchet developed the goal of becoming a Swordsman in the military.

Six years into Sonoma's life, Katherine grew very ill. She could no longer work and Dorchet, now eleven, started working to keep up the rent. Sonoma spent most of her days sitting by Katherine's bedside, monitoring her temperature and keeping her company. Finally Sig got her to agree to see a doctor and they found that she had been a victim of yellow fever.

That afternoon Katherine passed on to join her husband.


	4. Chapter 4

Katherine was dead. Izumi's hatred of Dorchet appeared through the rent he needed to pay. Sig repeatedly tried to get Izumi to excuse the poor boy, but she refused.

"Our son would have been old enough to take care of himself at an age younger than Dorchet's!"

"But darling, he's only a boy. He's just lost the last piece of family that he has."

"No, Sig! Absolutely not!" She would always reply, and that would be the end of that. Dorchet realized that he was falling behind in his payments and decided that he needed to get out. So he sat down and tried to think of all the things he could become at his age. Legally he could not work, but the military was accepting boys around his age. He'd just have to travel to central and enlist. He knew how to use a knife, so he could become a swordsman.

Dorchet knew that he could waste no time, so only a few months after his mother's death, he quietly tried to sneak out of the butcher shop. He was halfway out the door when a small cry stopped him. He looked behind him and saw Sonoma clutching his leg.

"Dorchet, don't go." She said quietly. Dorchet knelt down next to her.

"Shh, don't cry Sonoma. You're a strong little girl."

"B-but, I'm afraid that when you're gone, I'll be alone." She looked up into his eyes. Her deep green met his light red. Dorchet smiled.

"Listen, Noma. I have to get out. I'm gonna go join the war effort. Maybe I can help end this thing."

"Don't try and find your daddy." Sonoma pleaded.

"How did you know about that?" Dorchet's eyes were wide now.

"When Miss Katherine was sick, she told me alot of things. That you hated your daddy for leaving you. That you wanted to find him. Things like that."

"Well, I promise, I won't." Dorchet consented. But the little red-head in front of him wasn't satisfied.

"And promise you won't die." She added. She knew that Dorchet was going to leave. But she wasn't going to let him disappear.

"Why Noma!" He laughed. "If I die, who'll chase all those boys away when they knock on the door?" At Sonoma's expression he grinned. "Besides. I can't die. I'm gonna make alot of money. And I'm going for Furher. Just think Noma. If I become Furher, I'll bring you to Central to live with me. I'll own a big mansion and I can buy you all the toys you want." At this thought Sonoma smiled. Slowly she let go of his leg and nodded. Without another word, Dorchet was gone.

"But what happens if you forget me?" Sonoma asked quietly.


	5. Chapter 5

For two years Dorchet traveled northward. He was so determined to get to central that he wasn't even eating on a regular basis. He became lean and muscular, perfect for the career he was going to pursue. Finally, when he was fourteen, he arrived in central.

As soon as he got into the city, he immediately went to the military registration office and sign up. Now all he had to do was find a place to stay.

He took out a map he had bought of Central City and tried to find the nearest hotel. Not watching where he was going, Dorchet suddenly bumped into something. His map went flying out of his hands and he looked up at what he had bumped into. It had been a boy about his age. His hair and eyes were black, but he had a pale complexion.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to-." But the boy was already gone. Dorchet shrugged and looked down to find his map, but it was gone. Dorchet looked for the boy and saw him run into an alley. Quickly he followed him.

The boy led him over low walls, into alleys, onto rooftops, over fences, until he finally escaped Dorchet by entering an extremely big house. More like a mansion. Hesitantly, Dorchet walked up to the huge front door and knocked. After a few moments, he began to turn around, but then the door creaked open.

"Can I help you?" A deep voice asked. _What is Sig doing here?_ Dorchet wondered. He turned back around and looked up at a man who had the same appearance as the boy from earlier.

"Um, I was just trying to get my map back. There was a boy that ran in here, I think that he accidentally took it." Dorchet explained. The height of the man was very intimidating. The only things that seemed friendly about him were his brown eyes. Also the only thing that differed between him and the boy. Dorchet assumed that this was the boy's father.

"I see, please come in." The man smiled and motioned for Dorchet to follow him inside. The inside of the house was even more impressing than the outside. A great chandelier hung from the ceiling, and two staircases led up to the second floor. In awe, he stood speechless. Then a little girl, dressed in a flouncy green dress, distracted his attention as she ran down the stairs. She, too, looked like the boy, so Dorchet reasoned that she was his sister.

"Roy!" Dorchet jumped at the sound of the man behind him. Then the boy appeared at the top of the staircase. As soon as he saw Dorchet his eyes narrowed.

"Father, why do we have THIS here?" He asked, disgust quite apparent in his voice.

"Roy Mustang. I believe that you have taken..." He turned then to Dorchet. "I'm sorry, what's your name?"

"Dorchet Hisoka, sir."

"Dorchet's map." He then finished. Roy sneered quite visibly.

"I would never sink to that level." He said. Then the little girl spoke up.

"Yes. You had a map, Roy." She said quietly. Dorchet thought she must be about the same age as Sonoma. "Remember, you dropped it and yelled at me for trying to pick it up."

Roy's face flushed and he ran into his room. When he came back a folded up piece of paper was in his hand. He slowly walked down the stairs and crossed the room to stand in front of Dorchet. Dorchet was surprised to see that the boy was about four inches taller than him.

"Sorry." Roy mumbled. Dorchet took the map and smiled.

"Don't worry about it." He said happily.

"Tom!" A shrill cal came from another room. A small, but intimidating woman came into the room, her hands on her hips. "What do you think you're do-." Then she spotted Dorchet. "Tom, why didn't you tell me we had a guest?"

Tom smiled down at Dorchet.

"I'm sorry, Miranda. He's just gotten here." He said. Dorchet nodded.

"He's my friend. And he's new in town." Roy spoke up. Dorchet was surprised. Roy winked at him.

"Well then, he may stay here. He can go and get his family. We're a whole lot cheaper than the hotels around here."

Dorchet looked down at the floor and tried to ignore the sudden pain in his chest that had arisen at the mention of his parents.

"U-uh, actually. I'm alone. My parents, they were..." Roy's eyes widened. Rika walked over to Dorchet, her face an incredible scarlet.

"You're still welcome, you know." She whispered. Dorchet looked up at the people surrounding him. Not even five minutes ago he had met them. And now he was being welcomed into their family.

"Well, I won't be staying for long. I've just signed up to be a swordsman in the military." He said. He could've sworn he saw Tom's ears perk up.

"Really? Well, I could give you a hand there. I happen to be a Colonel Swordsman." He said. Dorchet couldn't believe his luck.


	6. Chapter 6

"Dorchet! Dinner!" Miranda Mustang called up the grand staircase. After his bath the boy had gone to sleep in one of their guest rooms. Seven hours later, he still lay on the feather bed.

At the sound of his name, Dorchet sat up, his still-damp hair already taking on the cone shape it formed when it dried. A knock on his door brought him fully to the waking world. Drowsily he made his way across the floor and opened the door. Outside stood little Rika. When she saw Dorchet in his too-big silk pajamas, she blushed and looked at her feet.

"Um, I was told to bring you some of Roy's clothes. They might be a little worn, but they should still look nice." And with that she handed him a small bundle of clothing and ran down the hall. For a second Dorchet looked after her.

"Nope, not a thing like Little Noma." He sighed and went back into his room. A few minutes later he came out and went down the stairs. The whole Mustang family was already seated, but not eating.

"Sorry, for keeping you waiting." He muttered as he slid into his seat beside Roy.

"Not at all, we just sat down ourselves." Tom said kindly. Dorchet nodded his appreciation and waited for the food to be passed around to him.

Halfway through the meal, Roy gasped. Dorchet looked up in alarm.

"What's wrong?" He asked anxiously. Had he done something wrong?

But Roy pointed at his eyes. The red curses Dorchet's father had left him.

"You're an Ishbalan!" Roy said. Miranda gasped and pulled Rika away from their guest. Tom leaned across the table, and took Dorchet's chin in his large hand. Closely he examined the ruby-colored eyes.

"So you are and Ishbalan." He said quietly. Dorchet struggled to get free of the strong man's grasp.

"No. No, my father was an Ishbalan; I don't want anything to do with him! He abandoned my mother and me, left us to the wolves. Please." He said, his breath getting cut off. Finally, Tom released him.

"You better be telling the truth." He said darkly. Dorchet collapsed in his chair, panting. "Or I'll end you." And with that, dinner ended. Rika and Roy rushed upstairs and Dorchet apologized for not telling the Mustangs straight off he was part Ishbalan.

"You know that the only way you'll get into the military and stay there now is by having me vouch for you and you serve in my troops. Tomorrow I'll get into training you and within the next four months, you'll be in Ishbal on the front lines."

Dorchet looked up with interest as Tom's voice softened. Then he saluted.

"I'll look forward to it sir!"


	7. Chapter 7

"On your toes!" Tom shouted. Dorchet barely dodged the blade that had been aimed at his arm. Immediately he regained his balance and resumed the correct sword-bearer's stance.

It had been three months and Dorchet had the bruises to prove it. Ever since the dinner incident Tom had been pushing and pushing him. Roy had gone to be the apprentice of an alchemist. Rika had just turned nine.

Tom and Dorchet locked eyes; both were exhausted.

Suddenly a shriek of laughter came from the house and Tom chanced a glance. That was enough for Dorchet. He charged forward, knocked the sword out of Tom's hand, offset Tom's balance, and pinned him to the ground with the back of his blade at his throat.

"You're getting really good, son." Tom laughed. He had taken to calling Dorchet that recently. It made Dorchet feel loved, something he hadn't felt since he saw Sonoma's tear-filled eyes the night he left.

Tom reached up and gently pushed Dorchet's blade away. Rika and Miranda came out of the house and Rika ran over and tackled Dorchet.

"C'mon! Play with me!" She shouted. Dorchet laughed and stood up with Rika hanging onto his back. The kid was so small; she could've been mistaken for a six-year-old.

Around the yard, Dorchet ran with Rika on his back.

Tom put his arm around Miranda and they both walked inside. On the table were two cups of tea. Miranda sat down and motioned for Tom to join her.

Just as soon as he did, a knock on the door interrupted Miranda's speech.

"You just sit right there. I'll get it." Miranda smiled.

Pulling with all her might, the small woman opened the giant doors. Standing outside was a teenaged boy, probably a little older than Dorchet and Roy.

"Private Breda, ma'am. Is your husband home?" He asked. Miranda nodded and motioned for Breda to follow her into the house. At the table Tom sat, absently drinking his tea while he read the newspaper. Breda saluted and clicked the heels of his boots together in the proper fashion, then waited for Tom to notice him. Miranda cleared her throat, noticing how Breda was having trouble keeping his slightly extended stomach under control.

Finally the Colonel looked up and smiled at Breda.

"Why hello, Breda. Darling," He looked at Miranda. "This is my personal secretary." Breda nodded as he was introduced.

"Sir, I've come to tell you that the paperwork that you sent in was approved by the Furher himself. Private Dorchet Hisoka and yourself will be sent straight to the front lines. The train leaves in one hour. The train will take you to a city on the outskirts where the rest of your troop will meet you." Breda saluted. "I wish you the best, sir."

Tom saluted back. "Dismissed." He said. Breda turned on his heel, acknowledged Miranda, then left.

In one hour Tom and Dorchet had said goodbyes and had boarded the train. On the train they received the newest issue of swordsman uniform. Once Dorchet had dressed himself in the baggy clothing he laughed at himself.

"What do they think we are? Ninjas?" Tom joined in the laughter. But they seemed to be the only two on the train in good spirits. The other men lining the seats were all staring at their boots, pipes and cigarettes in their mouths. Tom knew why, many times before he had faced death, but he wanted to hide the horrible effects it had from Dorchet.

"I think you should get some sleep, Dorchet. We'll be there soon." Tom said. He had just spotted an old 'war buddy' sitting farther down the line. Dorchet didn't actually go to sleep, but he did begin to shine his sword. Tom rolled his eyes and went down the aisle to talk to his friend.

After a while Dorchet finished with his sword and began to sheath it.

"Why're you even shinin' that thing?" A fellow swordsman asked him. Dorchet looked up at the man sitting next to him with surprise.

"Well why not? I want my victims to see the fear in their own eyes before they die." Dorchet smiled at the thought. He didn't like the idea of killing, except for killing his father. He wanted his father to feel as small and helpless as he and his mother had when he had abandoned them.

"Listen boy, this war isn't all glory. It's horrible in fact. Some nights you'll wake up and retch. Just because you were dreaming about the screams of the women and children burning in the building you'll set on fire. Sure you'll carry a sword. But that doesn't mean that you'll ever use it. They call us swordsmen. But we're really assassins, murderers, and hired guns. Nothing but." The man stated this so calmly Dorchet was beginning to wonder if this man was even really a soldier. Finally the man brought his eyes up to meet Dorchet's.

"W-what's your name?" Dorchet asked tentatively. The man's eyes were red, and his breath stank of alcohol.

"Tetharly. Francis Tetharly." He answered quietly. All at once Dorchet realized that this man wasn't much older that himself. Maybe nineteen.

"My name's Dorchet Hisoka."

"Here, kid." Francis reached into his pocket and pulled out a cigarette.

"No thanks, I don't smoke." Dorchet refused kindly.

"No sense in not starting now. You will within the week." Francis laughed. But his laugh wasn't lighthearted. It was heart-breakingly deep and sad. Dorchet nodded and took the cigarette and allowed Francis to light it. At first he choked on the smoke, but after a few breaths he quickly adapted. Suddenly the train stopped. Francis' moping and tired ways were gone. He became alert and his hand immediately went to the hilt of his sword.

Dorchet looked out the window. Ishbalans were everywhere! One pulled a gun and aimed straight at Dorchet.

"Get down!" Francis cried and jerked Dorchet onto the floor by his arm. The bullet meant for him went into the man who had been sitting across from him. Dorchet, however, didn't realize that until the body of the man fell down beside him. A neat little hole right above his nose. In terror Dorchet screamed and jumped away from the body. Francis and the other veterans all drew their swords. In a split second Tom was kneeling beside Dorchet, his knee resting on the dead man's back.

"Draw your sword son. We're about to go straight into Hell." Tom said. Dorchet shakily climbed to his knees and pulled the weapon out of its sheath. Francis was in front of him. Tom was beside him. Tom's buddy was behind him. A window was on his right. For what seemed like hours the soldiers were all at the ready.

Finally the door leading into the car burst open and Ishbalans began to try pouring in. But as soon as one made it through the door, the swordsmen would cut them down. A gunshot rang out and the man in front of Francis fell. With anger new to him Dorchet leapt over Francis and sliced the Ishbalan down easily. His red eyes glowed with hatred.

Dorchet lead the swordsmen out of the car and out into the next. Ishbalans parted around him as though he was Moses and they were the Red Sea. At last the onslaught of Ishbalans ceased. Dorchet stopped and looked around at what he had done. Body after body lay about him. His blade was covered in crimson blood.

He dropped his sword and fell to his knees. His throat choked out dry sobs. His body shook with adrenaline and his mind wandered in confusion. How had HE done this? Dorchet suddenly grabbed the blade of his sword with his bare hand, wanting to wake up. But the stinging pain told him that this was no nightmare.

No one in the car looked at him. Nobody laughed. And nobody offered to help him. They had all learned the hard way.

Gradually the men dispersed. Apparently the engineer had been killed and so some soldiers were taking his place and were in the process of trying to get the train up and running again. Most were trying to throw the bodies off the train and were burying their own dead.

Dorchet had never felt so alone in his life. It was hours before he stood up, and even then he felt nauseous. The fight had driven everything out of him. He felt sad and angry all at once.

"It was as though as soon as he saw the blood he couldn't help himself." Francis commented to Tom. Tom smiled darkly.

"He inherited that from his father. His father's name is Soshu Hisoka." Tom said. Francis laughed.

"You mean to tell me that that kid's dad is the most hated arsonist working for the Ishbalan army?"

"That exactly what I mean to tell you."


	8. Chapter 8

A year passed. Dorchet eventually overcame his shock and quickly rose to be the top in his regiment. Francis and Tom were by his side the whole way.

The night was horribly cold. Dorchet had stayed behind to bury a small child that he had cut down earlier. Just as he laid the last stone down, a shadow moved. Dorchet tracked the movement and counted to three. It would take the attacker that long to make his move.

One...Two...Three

Dorchet's movement was too fast to track with the plain eye. He blocked the crooked dagger of the Ishbalan with his sword, twisted the weapon out of his hand, and pinned the man down face-first. Dorchet stabbed the blade into the ground next to the man's head. He could see the reflection of the stranger in the cold metal.

The man's face seemed familiar. Dorchet leapt back off him in surprise. He remembered that face.

"Soshu Hisoka." He growled. The man laughed.

"So what? You're going to kill me? There are hundreds more of us. The Ishbalans will not give up!" He growled back with equal intensity. "May I at least have the name of my murderer?" He asked mockingly. It was Dorchet's turn to grin.

"Dorchet." Soshu stepped back as though he had been slapped. "Oh, ho. You recognize that name do you? Well, where exactly from?"

"M-my son. B-but he would never. He escaped into Amestris. Do you know him? And his mother?" Soshu's tough exterior melted. Dorchet smiled cruelly.

"You're looking at your own flesh and blood, you old fool!" Dorchet crowed. Soshu fell back on his behind. His son could never, would never... But the similarities were there. He had the same hair. The same build.

Dorchet took out a match from his pocket and lit it. He bent down in front of the man and held the match in front of his eye. The last puzzle piece fell into place. The red color proved that this Dorchet was Soshu's one and only son.

Dorchet had expected an action that would represent horror, or at least disgust. But what he hadn't expected was for Soshu to hug him. Dorchet pulled away from the man.

"You bastard!" Dorchet shouted. He held the tip of his blade at the man's throat. "How can you live with yourself? You abandoned the wife and son you claimed to love and weren't even there when Katherine died!" His words ripped at Soshu. "So now it will be your own son who will kill you!" With that Dorchet lunged. As his bade pierced the man's throat, the last words he said to Sonoma came to him.

"_Listen, Noma. I have to get out. I'm gonna go join the war effort. Maybe I can help end this thing." _

"_Don't try and find your daddy." Sonoma pleaded. _

"_How did you know about that?" Dorchet's eyes were wide now. _

"_When Miss Katherine was sick, she told me alot of things. That you hated your daddy for leaving you. That you wanted to find him. Things like that." _

"_Well, I promise, I won't." Dorchet consented._

As Dorchet looked down at his dead father, he whispered his apologies to Sonoma.

"Dorchet! The war's over!" A shout came. Francis and Tom came around the ruins that surrounded Dorchet. A red light lit up the sky. At first Dorchet thought that it was fireworks. But the 'firework' came straight at them. Dorchet, Francis, and Tom all bolted. The rest of the regiment came into sight just as the bomb hit. It struck right in the center of the ranks.

The last thing Dorchet thought before his world went black was: 'That makes two promises I broke.'


	9. Chapter 9

**Me: "Remember, Dorchet's experiences are based upon the number of reviews that his stories get. Please help keep our adorable, loyal, brave friend alive by reviewing. Dorchet would deeply appreciate it." **

**Dorchet: "That's black-mail! With my life!" **

**Me: -shoves a sock in his mouth- "Oh yes it is. But remember, when-I mean if-you die, you'll have to blame it on those un-loyal fans."**

**Sonoma: -holds up a poorly painted sign- **

**Sign: "SonomaCurtis owns nothing of Dorchet's history. Just Sonoma, Tom, Francis, Soshu, and Miranda. Oh, and all the other possible characters she may choose to make up."**

When Dorchet gained consciousness, he found that his throat was dry. His tongue felt swollen in his mouth. Suddenly he felt restrictions holding his wrists and ankles down. All he was wearing was the pants to his uniform. A number was printed on his chest, but he couldn't manage to read it.

A movement caught his attention. A blonde woman walked up to his side and smiled down at him. A reptilian scent came to him and he curled his lip in disgust.

Wait. Had he just SMELLED her? But she was at his feet! An insatiable urge arose in him to growl and bark. Maybe that would scare her away.

What?

"I see you're awake, now." The woman cooed. "Mr. Tringam!" She called out. The man came in. Dorchet noted that he was in obvious need of a shave and that there were serious bags underneath his light blue eyes. And that he smelled of death.

_RUN!_ His instincts screamed. But he couldn't. The man came closer and stopped by his head. Sweat beaded on Dorchet's forehead as the man leaned down. Carefully Tringam held a mirror up to Dorchet's eyes. To the soldier's amazement, his once red eyes were now blue with an extra line surrounding the pupil. No longer did he bear the curse his father had left to him. He was free!

Unfortunately Dorchet's short jubilee had to be cut short. Tringam had turned to the blond woman and had nodded. Smiling, she grabbed a leash hanging from the wall and fastened it about Dorchet's throat. In what seemed like one movement, she unfastened every one of Dorchet's restraints and was dragging him out of the room and down a hallway. Countless turns were made. Several times Dorchet tried to struggle, but he was going too fast to get his feet underneath him.

Finally the woman turned through a swinging door and came to a room full of cages. Quickly she dragged Dorchet to the far end of the room and shoved him in one of the cages. The room was rank with the stench of decay and Dorchet noted that some of the occupants on neighboring cages weren't moving.

"What is this?" Dorchet demanded. The woman laughed, a strange note in her voice.

"Why this is the role you swordsmen were meant to play. Did you actually think that you were making a difference in the war effort?"

"But what's happened to the others?" She laughed. Dorchet was reminded of a radio skit depicting a mad scientist he had listened to while staying with...that girl. The one with the red hair. A chill went up his spine when he found he couldn't remember anything past the explosion. Well, not anything in detail.

"Well, if you mean that tall handsome swordsman with the black hair, he's being used for a special experiment. Nothing like what you were used for."

"What was I used for? Why are you playing these guessing games?" Dorchet growled. He bared his teeth and hunched his shoulders.

"Why, we're all chimeras. Some failures...and yet, some successes. Take you and me for example. I'm a successful combination of snake DNA and human. You're much more common though, a dog. But that Colonel friend of yours, well, he's something a little more exotic. He'll soon be a wolf chimera. Now isn't that special, 156?" Nonchalantly she leaned against the cage of a dead experiment.

"What did you call me?" Dorchet asked.

"156. We give all the unimportant chimeras numbers. Now me, I'm important. So my name's Martel."


	10. Chapter 10

**Me: Sorry, for the slight delay. The chapters may be 'few and far between'. To quote Mr. Rockbell. Anyway, I hope that you enjoy the chapters to come and the ones that you may choose to reread. :) The reviews are coming nicely, but, unfortunately, I have to go through the Laboratory Number 5 part, and so, nothing is going to be well. :'( **

**Dorchet: Oh sure, you just couldn't skip over this part. **

**Me: Heck no! The main reason that you have fans anyway is because of this experience! Do you want me to just 'skip' this part and not only confuse the readers, but also have your popularity go down?**

**Dorchet: -stares- **

**Me: Okay, it's really my popularity that would plummet. –stomps away, defeated-**

**Sonoma: -holds up sign-**

_**SonomaCurtis owns nothing of FMA. Only her own characters and the attachments she chooses to make between those characters and the actual ones. Please enjoy. **_

Four weeks. Four weeks without any resemblance of food. So many experiments had come and gone that Dorchet had lost track. Few remained in the room with him. Currently there was a small man with a lizard tail, a large man with horns crammed in on of the smallest cages, and a man in the cage beside Dorchet. He was a newcomer. In fact, this man had only come a day before.

"Hey, hey pal." The man said. Dorchet turned to face him.

"Huh?" He asked, showing that he was listening.

"What's your name?"

"Dorchet. But around here I'm called 156. And your 287." Dorchet stated. All emotion had been lost to him ever since they had killed one experiment for acting as an individual.

"Oh, no. I'm not some number on a list of deaths and successes. My name is Francis." He said defiantly. Dorchet couldn't believe his ears. Francis? At the same moment Francis realized what his fellow experiment had said. Dorchet? In light of their findings both men turned to each other.

"I can't believe it!" Dorchet laughed. Francis followed suit. Through the bars of the cage Francis grabbed Dorchet's arm.

"Do you know what happened to the Colonel?" He asked urgently. Dorchet slowly shook his head.

"No. All I know is that he's another experiment. Something different than us." Dorchet said, racking his brain for the memory of his encounter with Martel. After finding nothing else, Dorchet tried to change the subject. But he just noticed the paleness of Francis' skin. After looking closer her saw the black spots.

"Francis?" He asked. "Look at your skin." Francis did as he was told and laughed sourly.

"Yeah, I was combined with some breed of dog. I'm not sure which."

"Me too." Dorchet replied. For a moment or two they both sat in silence. Suddenly a loud creak broke that silence. Dorchet looked over to the door. Martel stood there and had a bag of something in her hand.

"How's life?" She asked mockingly. Carefully she unsheathed her small knife and ripped open the bag. At the lizard man's cage she teased him by thrusting her arm through the cage bars and waving the knife at him. The man, in an effort to escape, pressed himself against the farthest side. "Aw, c'mon." She laughed and tossed a handful of kibble at the man.

Francis growled. Dorchet reached through the bars and pulled him back.

"Oh no. You're not gonna get yourself killed just yet." Dorchet muttered. Still growling, Francis sat back and watched Martel repeat the process with the large man. Finally she made it to Francis' cage.

"Why, hello handsome." She smiled. Her white teeth flashed. Francis' growl grew louder. Dorchet's grip on his shoulder tightened. Martel opened the cage door and went to get a handful of kibble. Francis took the advantage.

Ripping free of Dorchet's grasp, Francis leapt at Martel. But her reflexes were too fast. In a flash she turned to face Francis. Her knife also met him. Dorchet saw his expression go from contorted rage to shock. He looked down at the knife that was up to its hilt in his stomach. Martel jerked the blade backwards and blood spurted from the wound. Francis looked at Dorchet. Sincere sorrow filled his eyes.

"I survived...that hell...for...this." He said. As soon as he uttered this last word he dropped to the ground. Dorchet's mind told his throat to cry out, but he had frozen. Martel laughed over Francis' body. Still laughing she tossed a little kibble at Dorchet. Then she left.

The next day Dorchet met his commander.


	11. Chapter 11

**Me: Yuck, this certainly isn't one of my BEST chapters. I still hope you enjoy this. **

**Dorchet: When, exactly, is this story gonna get happy? I mean, so far, my life has been a total drag. You skipped over all the good parts! **

**Me: Oh, be quiet! Angst in a story makes for a good read. **

**Dorchet: You wanna know what I think-!**

**Me: -shoves a sock in his mouth- Not particularly.**

**Sonoma: -holds up that oh-so-familiar sign-**

_**SonomaCurtis does not, nor has she ever, own FMA. If she did, Ed would die, Alphonse would grow a backbone, and the storyline would be about Dorchet's would-be adventures with Greed, had he not died. TTcTT**_

Dorchet sat in disbelief. The room was silent. In front of his cage lay Francis' body. Tears welled up behind Dorchet's eyes. He wiped at them in disbelief. He hadn't truly cried since his mother had died. But, but this, Francis... it was all too much. Dorchet twisted so he didn't have to look anymore.

Why? What gave Martel the right to do what a thousand Ishbalans hadn't been able to do? Dorchet shook his head. Questioning thoughts only made his head hurt. Right then he needed to think about escape. Lizard man shifted. Dorchet's internal clock told him that it must be close to dawn. He could hear footsteps in the hall.

About an hour later, the door opened. Dorchet saw a large cage in the doorway. Inside the cage were two golden coals. The cage door slid open and the creature stepped out. Carefully, he stood up and straightened his jacket. Dorchet recognized the stance.

"Colonel?" Dorchet asked. The two coals landed on him. Dorchet's own eyes widened at the expression on Tom's face.

"Yes?" He asked, mockery thick in his voice. "I think I remember you." Suddenly he pounced upon Francis.

The sight that followed was too gruesome for Dorchet to watch. He turned away, but his ears betrayed him.

When he turned back, Tom's face was at his level.

"So, what's your name again?" He smiled. Dorchet's eyes flashed to the bones and cloth that had been Francis then back to the Colonel.

"Dorchet." He said, desperately trying to keep his voice from trembling. The colonel nodded. All at once, the cage door was open. Tom smiled, his pupils dilated, and the transformation began. Fur sprouted on his face, and his hair became shaggier. His fingernails hardened and sharpened. Worst of all, his smile. His teeth sharpened and his jaw extended. Not much, but enough to make a difference in his range.

In horror Dorchet watched. Tom's knees reversed to a more lupine-esque stance.

"So, Dorchet, are you next?" He asked. Dorchet gasped for air when Tom's hand pinned him against the wall. Dorchet's heart began to beat faster and he began to feel changes too. His teeth lengthened, his nails also grew, and his knees also reversed. But he grew a tail. As his vision began to weaken from lack of air, Dorchet suddenly growled and struck Tom across the face. Four red lines appeared across Tom's cheek.

Shocked, Tom let Dorchet go. The smaller of the two took advantage of this moment and dove between Tom's legs. Once he was behind him he jumped on Tom's back and bit into the back of Tom's neck, hard. Unfortunately, his neck had grown fur too, so Dorchet's bite couldn't go deep enough to cause any damage. Tom reached behind him and grasped the nape of Dorchet's neck and ripped him off, sending him onto the cage.

For a second Dorchet was disoriented, but as soon as he saw Tom coming toward him, he gathered his feet beneath him and leaped. Up, over Tom. Out the door and down the hall. Escape had suddenly occurred to him. He could get out of there and get back to...who was again that he wanted to get back to? It didn't matter; as soon as he was out he could stop and think about it.

Dorchet was so caught up in his thoughts that he completely missed the scientist coming toward him from the side with a needle in his hand. Jumping onto the runaway chimera, the scientist momentarily wrestled Dorchet to the ground and plunged the needle into his shoulder. Dorchet rose to his feet and tried to continue running. But the chemical began to take effect.

His vision blurred, then Dorchet's equilibrium was thrown off. Confused, Dorchet fell against the wall and slid down. The rough cement that was the wall scratched the bare skin of Dorchet's shoulder. The last thing Dorchet thought of before darkness overtook him was the name of the little girl that Tom Mustang had loved so much before this place killed him. Rika.


	12. Chapter 12

**Me: Hello peoples! I am sad to announce that this is the last chapter of Dorchet's Story. Seriously, this is really sad for me. My first story to get a hit from Germany is finished! HOWEVER! (yes there is a 'however') Dorchet's tale will continue in my new story, Why Greed?. I hope that all of you people who have read this story and liked it will like my newest one. **

**Dorchet: Phew! For a second there I thought that you were gonna cause somethin' bad to happen to me.**

**Me: -evil pondering look- **

**Dorchet: -face-palm- Why, oh why did I have to give this devil woman an idea?**

A small whimper rose in his throat, but he suppressed it. Despite the fact that he couldn't even sit up, he wouldn't whine! The poor ex-soldier was in a bad way. His legs were both broken and bent at impossible angles. His right arm was also busted while his other was seriously infected. Both his eyes were so swollen the he could barely see. A bad scar ran from the back of his ear to the back of his knee. That little present had come from his second encounter with the body that used to belong to Colonel Tom Mustang.

His breaths were slow and when they came they were rasping. Slowly Dorchet shifted his broken body so that he was lying with his back flat against the floor of the cage. He heard Loa say something to Bido, then silence again.

"Such sweet yesterdays. They belong only to me. The one thing that no law or person can steal. My memories of you, of us, of better times, of what could have been. Such sweet yesterdays." Dorchet found himself saying. Quite suddenly he remembered where he had first heard them.

It had been about six months after he had gone to war. In a battle one of Tom's friends had had his throat slit. Through the sick gurgling he muttered those words that had stuck with Dorchet so long. Almost contented, Dorchet sighed and relaxed as much as he could. Darkness began to envelope him. His fingers started to numb. A light invaded his closed eyes and from that light came the voice of his mother.

"_Dorchet. My son..."_

Dorchet strained to hear what it was that she was saying. Then another voice came to his ears.

"_Dorchet? Promise me...Don't forget...about me. Promise."_ Dorchet's eyes flew open.

"S-Sonoma..." He whispered. Memories flooded his mind and the light faded. Memories of himself and a little red-haired girl. Sonoma. A creak drew him from the reminiscences. He turned his bruised head and looked at the door. Light glared through the doorway and silhouetted two people. Dorchet smelt liquor, women, and leather. Along with that he was able to smell Martel.

"So..." A deep voice dragged. The man stepped in and walked over to Bido's cage. "Any of you interested in a little emancipation?" He asked. Bido's small hands gripped the bars of his cage eagerly.

"Who are you?" Bido asked. The man smiled.

"The names Greed. Don't laugh, It's not like I named myself." Greed laughed and pinched the huge lock in between his forefinger and his thumb. Without any visible sign of effort, the lock shattered. Bido began to jump out, but Greed stopped him and helped him down. "One more question." He said before Bido could run. "Would you like to help me out? I'll provide food, liquor, and medicine if you need it."

Dorchet saw Bido's eyes widen as he nodded. After Bido, Loa, and two other were freed.

"Anyone else?" Greed asked. Dorchet tried to move but his body was too broken. He watched helplessly as Greed slowly shut the door behind him. Somehow he managed to muster enough strength to call on his voice. The first thing that came out was a loud but weak bark. After a few seconds wait Dorchet knew that he was too late. He pinched his eyes shut and wished that he could at least wipe the tears from his face.

"Is there one more?" The deep voice of Greed asked. Dorchet turned to see the man's looking toward him. "You?" He asked. Dorchet managed another bark, but exhaustion fell upon him afterward. He heard the lock break and felt his body being lifted, and then he slipped into darkness...

**Whoa! That was...wow. I hope that you all continue to read. While writing this last chapter I've been fantastically inspired! Look for WHY GREED? to continue Dorchet's saga. Tell your friends and remember to NOT step in front of moving vehicles. Good night and Dorchet bless. ^/.\\\^**


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